South's retreat to four hearts after his club bid was raised and carried a time-worn message: "Partner, I was too strong to bid four hearts at my last turn. I had to make a forcing bid so don't count on me for a legitimate club suit." North got the message loud-and-clear, but he realized that he had a great hand for partner, even if South only had a club "fragment" — the ace of diamonds plus two golden queens! The control showing five-diamond bid was all South needed to hear.

West had an unusually good hand for defense against a slam. The auction suggested that his partner was short in clubs, so he chose a club lead hoping for the best. Bingo! This was the only lead to defeat the slam, but the defensive work was not yet done. Looking at the dummy, it was very tempting for East to shift to a spade after ruffing the lead, allowing the contract to romp home. East saw that should the defense have a spade trick coming, it would still be there later. The immediate concern was to attack the board's ace of diamonds to prevent a late entry to the clubs. East found the diamond shift and the slam was defeated.

East might have made a "Lightner Double" at his last turn to bid. This would ask for an unusual lead, often in dummy's first-bid suit. He wisely passed instead. Should the opponents run to six no trump after the double, he would have no defense against that contract. Better to leave them where they were. Six no trump would have been easy!